Only small areas of natural Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) habitat occur in Germany. Today pine plantations instead of natural deciduous forests often dominate the landscape. Yet, due to the competitive weakness and light demands of Scots pine, near-natural Scots pine climax communities are only found on extremely dry or wet, nutrient-poor sites, primarily in subcontinental regions of the north-eastern German lowlands and Bavaria. However, the "natural distribution range" of Scots pine is difficult to define. Species-rich, dry Scots pine forests, with alpine and calcareous grassland species in the ground vegetation, are found at the aridity limit of forests on sites with carbonate rich soils developed from limestone and dolomite parent material. These forests occur on steep south-facing slopes, on morphodynamically active areas such as landslides and coarse river gravel beds in and near the Alps, and also in the low mountain ranges. Scots pine forests are also found on acidic sites, on quartz sands and soils overlying weathered silicatOnly small areas of natural Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) habitat occur in Germany. Today pine plantations instead of natural deciduous forests often dominate the landscape. Yet, due to the competitive weakness and light demands of Scots pine, near-natural Scots pine climax communities are only found on extremely dry or wet, nutrient-poor sites, primarily in subcontinental regions of the north-eastern German lowlands and Bavaria. However, the "natural distribution range" of Scots pine is difficult to define. Species-rich, dry Scots pine forests, with alpine and calcareous grassland species in the ground vegetation, are found at the aridity limit of forests on sites with carbonate rich soils developed from limestone and dolomite parent material. These forests occur on steep south-facing slopes, on morphodynamically active areas such as landslides and coarse river gravel beds in and near the Alps, and also in the low mountain ranges. Scots pine forests are also found on acidic sites, on quartz sands and soils overlying weathered silicate rocks with an understorey dominated by dwarf shrubs, bryophytes and fruticose lichens. These forests are present in the lowlands, particularly on inland dunes and glacifluvial deposits, but also on coastal dunes around the Baltic Sea and in the low mountain ranges, for example on the sandstone cliffs in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Acidic, oligo-trophic bogs, mainly supplied by rainwater, comprise the third natural Scots pine forest habitat. These Scots pine bog forests occur most frequently in north-eastern Germany and in Bavaria. Coming from these habitats, where virtually no other tree species grows, Scots pine is found again and again as a pioneer on less extreme sites. In the natural landscape, it occurs mainly after forest fires and storms. Yet humans promote Scots pine by thinning forests, creating woodland pasture and removing litter. The nutrient depletion associated with these practices makes an exact delimitation of natural Scots pine habitats unfeasible. Natural pine forest stands, which, although attractive and appealing, grow poorly and are of little interest for forestry, are endangered mainly by anthropo-genic nitrogen depositions. Despite their meagre appearance, these forests are important for biodiversity and species conservation. In addition to terricolous lichens and regional relic endemic plant species, the diversity of mycorrhiza fungi, which enable Scots pine to exist on these nutrient-poor sites, increasingly is becoming endangered. Finally, possible conservation and regeneration practices, such as manually cutting sods in lichen-rich Scots pine forests, are presented.…